Kindergarten

I just completed my first week of an 8 week fill- in position in kindergarten where Sarah Morgan goes to school.  The teacher , out on maternity leave just had a wonderful baby boy.  She is an excellent teacher and had prepared so well for leaving her "other" babies.  She said she felt her "nesting" instinct transferred to her classroom.  She prepared them and their environment for her leaving.  I'm just trying to not mess 'em up for her!  The first day she left we went to the carpet and one little girl started to cry.  She put her head on my shoulder, one "little Mother" came and patted her shoulder and another little boy went to get her a tissue.  She started feeling better.  I then thought maybe I should give "the speech."  About 30 seconds in, I realized by their eyes, my words were not working at ALL!  Finally, one of the little girls held her hand up and I called on her to stand up and tell the class about the next activity.  She stood up and gave one of the best speeches I'd ever heard.  In the end she told them that it was going to be hard but they were just going to have to keep strong while their teacher was away having her baby for"eight weeks or eight months!"  That was it.  I learned a lesson.  Let them talk!  Everyday this week I have been blown away by the conversations they have to share with me.  I don't know what they are going to learn in the next 8 weeks/months, but I have a pretty good idea that I am going to learn a lot, if I'll just listen.